Baladna to establish multi-million dollar dairy facility in Nigeria

NIGERIA – Baladna, a dairy company based in Qatar, has announced plans to establish a multi-million-dollar dairy and food processing facility in Ogun State to strengthen Nigeria’s domestic dairy production and reduce reliance on imports.

The Head of Products and Solutions Architecture at Baladna, Mr. Aidan Thomas Iynan, disclosed this when he and other members of the company, led by the Executive Secretary of the Nigeria Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC), Aisha Rimi, paid a courtesy visit to the Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, in his office at Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.

According to officials, the purpose of the visit was to explore land acquisition opportunities and discuss collaboration with the Ogun government to launch feasibility studies for the project. 

“We can build highly efficient farms with world-class yields, meeting not only dairy needs, but also meat and crop needs,” Iynan said.

Mr. Iynan noted that with the current climate change, seven decades of drought in Syria, and flash floods in North America, the Mediterranean, and North Africa, it was imperative for Nigeria to work towards becoming self-sufficient in dairy production, as the situation is bound to put pressure on countries that depend on imports to address their food security.

Executive Secretary of NIPC, Aisha Rimi, said that despite Nigeria’s enormous potential in terms of population and increased urbanization, there is still low production of milk, which is below global standards.

According to her, despite Nigeria having one of the largest cattle populations on the continent, it can only meet about 50 percent of its dairy needs, as it imports between $1.3 billion to $1.5 billion worth of dairy products annually.

Its entry into the Nigerian market, according to Ogun governor, underscores the transformative potential of strategic investment in agriculture.

He strongly believes this initiative aligns with his administration’s vision of positioning Ogun State as a center of agri-based innovation, food security, and inclusive job creation, giving him confidence that Ogun State can achieve dairy self-sufficiency and reduce national dependence on imports.

“We reaffirm our administration’s commitment to providing a seamless, investor-friendly environment devoid of bureaucratic hurdles. This investment stands to create thousands of jobs, enhance productivity, and significantly boost our state’s GDP—advancing both the Renewed Hope Agenda of the Federal Government and our own mission of building a stronger, more prosperous Ogun State,” he stated.

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